THE SPIRIT'S LIBERTY (4).

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*THE SPIRIT'S LIBERTY (4)*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Acts 5: 8-10:

*And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.*

*Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.*

*Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

The Spirit thrive on discipline.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

There is a discipline that provides an atmosphere for spiritual things to rest and survive peacefully in our midst.

We can not be undisciplined yet expect the Spirit's move.

Ananias and Saphira serve as a reminder of three direct consequences of the lack of discipline in God's presence.

First, whatever we decide to do before God becomes a solid arrangement between us and God. If there is a violation, the Spirit halts and delivers consequences, most times fatal.

The Spirit did not only halt His presence in the couples' lives, He terminated them.

Second, the Spirit can be angry, and the anger of the Spirit may not be pacified until full judgment is metted on the offender(s).

Third, people who sin against others in the Church or against His anointed not only sin against them but they sin against God ultimately, ref Acts 9:5.

Peter asked

Saphira, *".....How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?*, Acts 5:9.

Anywhere we are gathered to do the things of God, the Holy Spirit is there.

In observance of the Holy Communion, in as much as Paul admonished that people should eat at home before they come to the table, he also made it clear that the meal must not be taken unworthily.

Paul said two things that warns us of how important discipline is required in God's presence.

First, he tells us that anyone who takes the communion unworthily, *".....eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."*

Second, he tells us of the fatal consequences, besides damnation as the reason why *".....many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.*, 1 Cor 11: 29-30.

In 1 Cor 11:34, he ended his writing to the Corinthians saying *......And the rest will I set in order when I come.*

In 1 Cor 11: 40, he writes *Let all things be done decently and in order.*

Discipline began as an obedience to wait for the promise, Acts 1:8, and the discipline was maintained when at Pentecost, *".....they were all with one accord in one place."*, Acts 2:1.

God has set boundaries, and we can not push His boundaries.

We often push His boundaries by our common comments like ' God will understand'. 'God is not so hard or wicked that He would not understand'. 'I will sin and later ask for His forgiveness'.

Ananias and Saphira pushed the boundaries, but God did not understand.

Saul pushed His boundaries, but God did not understand.

The Spirit may not go beyond what He

has established or accepted as boundaries we must never cross.

It is discipline to accept the Spirit's boundaries!

*Remorse corner.*

As a believer, God has given you the power to set how you can relate with Him. When you set your boundaries as to what to do for Him, He obeys. Do not push it because He already abided by your boundaries, Numb 30:2, Eccl 5:4-6.

*Call to Word action.*

Acts 5:3-4 *But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?*

*Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God?*

What you have remains in your power to give to God and what you sell to give to God remains in your power to give to God.

*The Christian clarion duty.*

People push the Spirit's boundaries when they go beyond what is established as His accepted standards.

The Spirit thrives in discipline.

*Prayer.*

Lord, help me to walk with You in utmost order and discipline in Jesus name.

Good morning all, and have a blessed day.

God bless you.